While, for many, it may not have seemed like a truly remarkable game at its outset, there's no denying that Minecraft has seen a stunning evolution in the years since its release. Starting as a simple sandbox for players to exercise their creativity, the title has blossomed into an experience that manages to seamlessly reach from developers to modders to players.

This is no better highlighted than by the Mash-Up Packs that have begun appearing as DLC for the Xbox 360 edition of Minecraft. From the space opera that is Mass Effect to the peaks of SkyrimMinecraft has run the gamut in terms of content variety. Taking a cue from one of its earlier Mash-Up Packs, the next batch of DLC will take gamers back into space, to the most iconic landscapes from the Halo series.

Following the trend of previous Mash-Up Packs, Master Chief's journey into this voxel-based world will be far more than just a simple palette swap. Gamers who partake in this batch of downloadable content will gain access to the following:

  • An exclusive Halo-themed texture pack
  • Themed menus and user interface
  • Pre-made world featuring some of the series' most iconic locales and structures
  • Items inspired by the Halo universe
  • 40 character skins
  • Music spanning the series' many titles

While it will never compare to the sheer enormity of the game's PC modding community and world editing tools, it's an exciting prospect to see this degree of collaboration occur between such large gaming icons. All too often it seems as though familiar franchises lose the push to leave the comfort zone sequels and season passes present. As such, it's encouraging to see developers embracing this experimentation, much like what Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon did.

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With Minecraft for Xbox One set to release in August, this couldn't come at a better time. While there's no confirmation that this content will be finding itself to next-gen consoles, it's likely that it will eventually become available, especially since Xbox 360 saves will be transferrable to Xbox One. Following the success of Titanfall, it wouldn't be at all surprising if that became the next franchise to receive the mash-up treatment.

Regardless, this should serve as an encouraging sign of the content to come. Despite first releasing on the Xbox 360 in 2012, 4J Studios have been diligent in continuing to add worthwhile content years after release. If they can continue this trend with the upcoming Xbox One, PS4 and Vita versionsMinecraft will no doubt continue to perform well for years to come.

Would you like to see these Mash-Up Packs released for the upcoming Xbox One version of Minecraft? What game or series would you like to see get the voxel treatment next?

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Follow Ryan on Twitter @ThatRyanB.

Source: Halo Waypoint, Play XBLA